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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · coach · cell · bulb · mug · shower · bore · bowl

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bulb — for light
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. cell — in biology
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mug — a face
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. mug — to rob
  14. shower — rain
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. snap — to click
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. shower — a meteor shower

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com